Word April 2000
by garnet eyes
Summary: Using Dictionary .com's April 2000 Word of the Day as basis for freehand thoughts and interactions of the Baron trio. Length and perspective both vary. Not intended to follow a single timeline. Kain, Rosa, and Cecil in various combinations.
1. Coxcomb K, KxCxR

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 3 Apr 2011  
Summary: 01 April 2000 edition.  
Rating: K+  
Characters/Pairings: Edge, Kain, Kain x Cecil x Rosa  
Author Notes: _coxcomb_, noun;  
1. Obsolete. A cap worn by court jesters; adorned with a strip of red.  
2. Archaic. The top of the head, or the head itself.  
3. Obsolete. A fool.  
4. A vain, showy fellow; a conceited, silly man, fond of display; a superficial pretender to knowledge or accomplishments; a dandy; a fop.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

There were a variety of reasons that Kain was not fond of the king of Eblan when said man came to visit. It wasn't that he was necessarily of poor character, although the dragoon could do without a great deal of the man's obnoxious fawning over any pretty thing that caught his eye, only to jump to the next thing within minutes as though he'd never noticed the first. ...Kain chose to outright ignore the fact that King Edge had a habit of _not_ moving on when around Cecil or Rosa, in that same way as the ninja tended to give his all to the summoner girl. The dragoon knight was well aware of the older man's interest in Rydia, and it was disconcerting to have him display the same traits when handling Baron's royals – King Edge decidedly did not behave the same way when handling the royals of Fabul, Damcyan, or the underworld, and the epopts of Troia all held little more than fleeting fancy to him. And yet that man flirted unabashedly with Cecil, who was painfully oblivious, and with Rosa, who took everything with a grace that seemed to at once deflect the behavior while returning it. But none of that bothered Kain. At all. Period.

The blonde didn't like Eblan's ruler for the simple reason that he didn't like _himself_ when the other man was around. He didn't like how his own behaviors changed out of sheer frustration, nor how he half wanted to physically stake out his territory like some _dog_ snapping at an interloper, and he knew he'd probably be left to _sleep_ with the castle's dogs if he couldn't get the desire to demonstrate that Baron's royals were _his_ out of his mind.

No, Kain was all around happier when that damned ninja was far, far away.


	2. Chicanery C,K, KxC

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 10 Apr 2011  
Summary: 02 April 2000 edition.  
Rating: T  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, Kain x Cecil  
Author Notes: _chicanery_, noun;  
1. The use of trickery or sophistry to deceive (as in matters of law).  
2. A trick; a subterfuge.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Cecil sat completely stiff, but did not interfere as Kain tied the ends of the cloth looping around the front of young prince's head.

"Why do I need the blind?"

Making certain that the knot was tight, the blonde leaned down and brought a hand in front of the smaller teen's face, waving it briefly to see if there was any reaction.

"Just trust me."

As well as he knew the adopted prince, it still came as a shock sometimes when Cecil would abruptly get incredibly huffy, as though the younger knight-in-training was somehow offended.

"Of course I trust you, but why do I need it?"

It always left a subtle warmth in him, like a dim glow, to know just how wholly the youngest of Baron's princes believed in him.

"Don't you want your surprise?"

Cecil bit his lower lip, and Kain grinned because he knew that that meant victory.

"..Alright."

The youngest prince didn't say another word, waiting patiently for the blonde to guide him away. The dragoon-in-training was careful to make sure the smaller teen didn't trip over anything as they walked, because that would completely ruin everything; even if Cecil would forgive him anyway, the mood would be lost. Once they reached the outdoors, it got a little trickier, but Kain was positive by the time he'd reached his destination that no one had really paid any attention to them.

"Have a seat."

Cecil bent and felt for the ground behind him before eventually sitting down with his legs crossed under him. The blonde paid little mind after, hurrying off to grab his stowed gift. The baby hare squeaked quietly, but otherwise stayed perfectly still with its leg tied to a tree root. It was a pale thing, with a white coat even in the summer, and the first time he'd seen it Kain had thought of Cecil immediately. So he'd caught it and secured it, and now he was planning to give it to the adopted prince because Cecil just had the personality of one who liked to care for others. Picking the little creature up and removing the loop from around the tree root, Kain went back to Cecil and secured the loop to his friend's wrist before pushing the prince's hands into the position he wanted them to be in and depositing the little ball of fluff into the younger teen's waiting palms.

"Here."

Cecil startled at first contact, his vision still black, but he did not put any pressure on the little beast and Kain very nearly rolled his eyes as the hare seemed a lot calmer with the adopted prince than it had ever been with the blonde.

"You complained about being lonely sometimes, so I thought..."

Kain didn't like to explain himself. Fortunately, Cecil didn't need a detailed explanation. Since his hands were full, even, the younger teen didn't bother to lift the blind to see what he'd gotten, merely shifting his fingers against the fur to smooth it slowly. The hare didn't move, save for its twitching nose, and did not even attempt to break away now, unlike how it always tried to scramble from Kain. It was an oddly sublime scene, and the dragoon-in-training smirked as he watched the gentle little rabbit-like prince ease the mind of the even littler rabbit.

And now that Cecil was distracted, Kain bent down close to the younger teen's face and captured his vivid blue lips, slipping his tongue between them as the smaller knight-in-training gasped and froze. All too soon, however, the shock wore off and the youth jerked his head back.

"-Kain! Stop that!"

Licking his lips, savoring the sweet flavor left over from Cecil's mouth, Kain eyed the little prince and couldn't help his growing smirk. Cecil knew how the blonde felt about him, and he'd never outright refused the older teen anything if Kain pushed hard enough. The bloodless prince hadn't liked kissing at first, either, but he'd learned to like it after a while. Although the dragoon-in-training wanted to go a lot further, he knew better than to force _that_; he would simply need to persuade Cecil one step at a time. If that required Kain to do some convincing through less than honorable means, well, Cecil was already his and that was all that mattered.


	3. Habitue C,K

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 3 Apr 2011  
Summary: 03 April 2000 edition.  
Rating: K+  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain  
Author Notes: _habitue_, noun;  
1. One who habitually frequents a place.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Kain was both surprised and not, when he came back from shedding his weaknesses and found Cecil napping against the old oak in the clearing they had always sparred in during their youth. This was, for all intents and purposes, their spot, and no one bothered them when they went here; when the dragoon had left, he'd made a pact with the paladin that he would return to this place once he felt ready. The blonde hadn't really expected anyone to be around to greet him, for the area was a little out of the way as far as the castle grounds went, but clearly Cecil had intended to be there for him. Absently, Kain wondered if his friend came here every day, and if he had come here every day for the years of his absence. The blonde hadn't sent word that he'd be back; the younger man had no way of knowing when the dragoon would again appear. Further, Cecil was a _king_; he couldn't possibly have enough free time on his hands to wait for Kain to return, but it was the middle of the day and he was out here _napping_.

Smiling warmly, Kain merely settled himself next to the younger knight and carefully eased the smaller, unarmored body against his armored frame before pressing his cheek against the soft moon-tone locks at the crown of Cecil's head. He'd been on foot for most of his journey to Baron, and the blonde didn't mind the thought of getting a little rest while he waited for the young king to return to lucidity; besides, Kain had missed the smaller man's presence during his long absence and it was enough to absorb the easy atmosphere now. Perhaps, later, he might ask about this encounter, but for now the dragoon was content to believe that fate had favored him with the undying loyalty of one of the kindest of men.


	4. Pellucid R, KxCxR

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 3 Apr 2011  
Summary: 04 April 2000 edition.  
Rating: T  
Characters/Pairings: Rosa, Kain x Cecil x Rosa  
Author Notes: _pellucid_, adjective;  
1. Transparent; clear; not opaque.  
2. Easily understandable.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Sometimes Rosa simply wished she could shake her head and ignore it all, but she knew just how silly her boys could be and they needed her involvement when these things happened. Kain was the bigger problem in the long run, although, admittedly, Cecil was sweetly charming no matter what he did and that could sometimes be just as bad. So, really, they were both at fault for being so horribly obvious. Rosa didn't blame her primary guard for loving their young king so wholly, but it would be a lot easier on her if he would be just a little more discrete about it. The courts were all a hassle when the nobility could see the subtle press of a guiding hand against the small of the paladin's back or the warm smiles shared between the two knights. The white mage got tired of handling the gossipy nobles, but she loved both of her boys deeply, so she could forgive their foolishness. She'd simply have her fun in the evenings behind closed doors.


	5. Buss C,K,R, KxCxR

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 31 Mar 2011  
Summary: 05 April 2000 edition.  
Rating: T  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, Rosa, Kain x Cecil x Rosa  
Author Notes: _buss_, noun, verb;  
1. A kiss; a playful kiss; a smack.  
transitive verb;  
1. To kiss; especially to kiss with a smack.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Although his expression remained blank, internally Kain felt as though he was grinning like a fool. The now fully-fledged dragoon was of age, and his best friends had both congratulated him hardily on his success in becoming a true knight. Rosa had even embraced him and kissed his cheek as she warned him to be careful, lest she have to resuscitate him just to slap sense into him. Cecil had smiled so warmly, perhaps more proud of him than Kain was of himself, and reached up on the tips of his toes to press his vivid blue lips to the blonde's other cheek.

No one questioned the small knight-to-be on his actions, because the adopted prince was widely known as being incredibly kind and gentle, if a bit queer in the head, and he _always_ did things like that so it was easy for most to dismiss. Well, he actually did a lot more, including but not limited to things that would get Kain a sound beating for corrupting the younger teen, but they were discrete so no one knew. And no one would ever know, not unless and until Kain married and took on the tiny bloodless prince for himself. Which he honestly wanted to do, because Cecil was terribly pretty and the two of them got along better than a salamander in water.

Rosa would be the blonde's first choice for a bride, because she knew him just as well, and took the failings with the successes, and it made Kain happy to know that he had people such as these two in his life. He couldn't wait for the day that he could kiss them both publicly and not worry one whit about what any other person thought.


	6. Factitious C, 1sCxK,KxR

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 3 Apr 2011  
Summary: 06 April 2000 edition.  
Rating: K+  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, one-sided Cecil x Kain/Kain x Rosa  
Author Notes: _factitious_, adjective;  
1. Produced artificially, in distinction from what is produced by nature.  
2. Artificial; not authentic or genuine; sham.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Cecil loved Rosa, without question; she was a wonderful woman, who had always been a cross between a sister and a mother to him regardless of the fact that she was younger. She was gentle and kind, and she scolded him when he did something stupid and laughed with him and comforted him and made him feel stronger just by her presence. Who _wouldn't_ love that? The problem was the fact that Cecil loved Rosa intensely, but he wasn't _in love_ with her. He wanted her to be safe and happy, and he would do anything he could to achieve that, but the fact remained that his heart was not hers alone. And he had no one to talk to about this, because everyone was under the impression that the childhood friends had fallen for each other, and no one took him seriously when he denied such accusations. They were supposed to be a fairytale couple, the young heiress and the adopted prince, and even Kain had started to believe it. Out of everything, that hurt the most, because Cecil knew that his best friend fancied the white mage, and the blonde had begun distancing himself probably long before the paladin had ever picked up on anything, back when he was still a dark knight before they'd all become so embroiled in the war over the fate of the world. It wasn't fair, to any of them, because Kain would make for a great father and he had one of the best pedigrees in Baron, and he would be good for Rosa. Yet Cecil struggled with himself, because he knew which one of his friends he loved, and which one he was _in love_ with, and the young knight knew, no matter what choice he made, he would still end up losing.


	7. Profligate C,K, KxC

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 3 Apr 2011  
Summary: 07 April 2000 edition.  
Rating: M  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, Kain x Cecil  
Author Notes: _profligate_, adjective;  
1. Openly and shamelessly immoral; dissipated; dissolute.  
2. Recklessly wasteful.  
noun;  
1. A profligate person.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Common decency told him that he was wrong, and religion told him that he was damned, but he didn't care. Clearly Kain didn't care either, or Cecil wouldn't be sweaty and hot and pleasantly exhausted, lying on his stomach tangled in the bedsheets and half asleep on this mild spring evening. Kain lied on his back next to the younger knight, his own body just as sweaty and flushed, his eyes closed, and his breathing fairly evened out again. The dragoon was very beautiful, in Cecil's opinion, and it wasn't physical traits that the bloodless prince thought about. Kain tried very hard to come across as unfeeling and tough, and while he might fool lesser men into believing that he was heartless, that was about as far from the truth as any one statement could be. The blonde was naturally gentle, and he had a soft spot for children and the infirm. He was closed off, but he'd always had to be because of his high status and rank in the nobility.

Cecil didn't have any trouble understanding his friend's moods, and knew when to push and when to simply relax and let things be. He also knew that he didn't have forever to exist in his current happiness. Kain wanted children, flesh and blood of his own lineage, and Cecil could not give him that. On some days, the smaller knight's stomach hurt with his desire to be able to fulfill this basic need of Kain's, to gift the blonde what he would eventually leave to seek for himself. Cecil knew it was impossible, but he prayed for it on those days anyway, if only to keep the dragoon at his side.

Honestly, the young prince couldn't imagine himself the woman he would need to be in order to fulfill his selfish desire to keep his best friend with him always, but Cecil loved Kain and would have gladly suffered the indignity of a womb just to satisfy his beloved, that Kain would never stray from him. The adopted prince would've been content to take in orphans, to give the less fortunate a chance to succeed, a chance that he himself had been given, and had no strong urge for an heir of his own. But, then, he had no bloodline worth keeping alive, and Kain was nearly royalty by blood. Society demanded at least one heir from him, and Cecil couldn't interfere with that no matter how badly he wanted to. No woman would want to be seeded by a man who slept with another man, lest that untoward behavior be passed on.


	8. Bedaub K, KxC

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 3 Apr 2011  
Summary: 08 April 2000 edition.  
Rating: M  
Characters/Pairings: Kain, Kain x Cecil  
Author Notes: _bedaub_, transitive verb;  
1. To smudge over; to besmear or soil with anything thick and dirty.  
2. To overdecorate; to ornament showily or excessively.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Although it was perverse of him, Kain could acknowledge that he found a great deal of pleasure in doing something that was probably a bit untoward. In his defense, the young prince had such incredible skill that the dragoon was convinced that any man would feel this way; Cecil had learned over many sessions and some coaching the best techniques for orally pleasuring a man. The blonde's weakness to the younger knight's heavenly mouth went unquestioned; one of Kain's favorite ways to whittle away boredom during the lazier and slower days was to secret himself and his younger companion into an empty room. The bloodless prince was perfectly willing, and Kain usually pleasured him first; it would have grated against him to always take and never give. Cecil had a gorgeous, if perhaps feminine, face, with vivid blue lips that were soft and full, and crystalline emerald eyes that shown through with every single emotion. When those lips were surrounding Kain's spear, those heavily lidded eyes were twin pools of lust, and the dragoon couldn't help his desire to stake his claim. Right as he felt his loins seize, Kain liked to pull back from that wet ecstasy and release his seed onto that pale, perfect flesh; the young prince looked a thousand times better with the dragoon's essence smearing his lovely visage, marking him as claimed.


	9. Bifurcate C,K, KxC

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 3 Apr 2011  
Summary: 09 April 2000 edition.  
Rating: T  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, Kain x Cecil  
Author Notes: _bifurcate_, transitive verb;  
1. To divide into two branches or parts.  
intransitive verb;  
1. To branch or separate into two parts.  
adjective;  
1. Divided into two branches or parts; forked.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Although he'd been a tiny little thing for the first sixteen years of his life, Cecil was a decent height for a man now. That being said, the taller package included a lot of leg – a lot of lean, muscular leg that trailed up into the most incredible, round bottom. Kain really liked that part, because it was just so touchable that he couldn't help himself when the two of them were alone. One plump globe in each hand, if he was in the position to do so, and it was better when they were facing each other for several reasons. Cecil really liked to kiss, liked to tangle their tongues together, and Kain could and would get him good and distracted with that first, because then the shorter man didn't care one whit about the dragoon's hands on him, and reacted on instinct when Kain got a good enough hold to lift him up, with the sensual grace of those long legs splitting wide to wrap around Kain's waist in an effort to help support himself. The blonde didn't even care that doing that made him have to crane his neck back to keep their tongues twined, because a little bit of strain was more than worth the outcome.


	10. Contumacious C,K, KxC

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 3 Apr 2011  
Summary: 10 April 2000 edition.  
Rating: T  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, Kain x Cecil  
Author Notes: _contumacious_, adjective;  
1. Obstinate; stubbornly disobedient; persistently, willfully, or overtly defiant of authority.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Kain frowned to himself as his king took up the incorrect pose _again_. Cecil was an exceptional knight, and had worked hard to learn how to handle a variety of weapons. He'd never gotten much experience with spears, however, and Kain was happy to teach him, but it was frustrating. The younger knight kept using an ax grip and a sword stance, which was confounding anyway because a sword couldn't be held like an ax and an ax couldn't be wielded like a sword, so what in the name of all things holy was Cecil even _doing_?

The dragoon didn't say a word, however, stepping up behind the shorter knight to align their bodies and force his king into the correct positions. Normally, had he been training his own men, he would've verbally flayed them for such mistakes, and he'd never correct them like this, but Cecil had always been more of a kinesthetic learner and he retained information better like this. And Kain really didn't mind being this close to him, anyway. Still, the paladin seemed to be utterly hopeless with a spear in hand, and it was absurd.

Satisfied that the younger man was in the proper pose once more, the dragoon took a few steps back and nodded, although the other knight couldn't see it.

"Like this. Try again."

It was a fairly simple maneuver, and one that any lancer worth his weight could perform because it was a basic skill that was built upon. And, as fleet-footed as Cecil was, Kain physically winced when he caught sight of the exact moment that his king slipped from the proper positions into something completely exotic, because within three steps after that the paladin neatly tripped himself with the butt of the spear and rather gracelessly staggered in an attempt to not fall. He succeeded in that, at least, and Kain withheld a sigh as he strode back to the younger knight's side to reposition him properly. _Again_.

It was only by accident that the dragoon caught out of the corner of his eye the flicker of a smirk crossing blue lips as he again took up the proper pose behind the smaller man; although he took note of it, his king was also a little pink-cheeked so the blonde figured he was probably trying to laugh off the embarrassment. It wasn't until he felt the subtle shift of the younger knight's armored backside putting just a little extra pressure against his codpiece, coupled with the heavy-lidded bemusement in emerald eyes, that Kain had the sudden realization that Cecil was doing all of this _on purpose_. All of the blonde's frustration and planning that ended in abysmal failure and more planning, it was all one big _joke_. Well, if his king wished to play that way, then Kain could play that way.

Leaning his head down close to the paladin's as he held the man in proper position, the dragoon dropped his voice to ensure that it wouldn't carry.

"Your trouble with these stances worries me. As I have been wholly unsuccessful with teaching, that makes me fear that I have injured you. I will refrain from your bedside, so that you might heal."

Being pressed against the smaller man gave Kain the distinct advantage of _feeling_ how Cecil stiffened in reaction. Clearly, this was not what he had expected. Well, Kain was going to go through with it, and might even prolong it if Cecil went and suddenly got _so much better_ at spearwork while the dragoon was not lying with him. Whatever his purpose was for pretending he had no idea how to do what Kain asked of him, the blonde didn't care to know, but he'd be leaving a lasting impression in his king's mind on not doing such a foolish thing again.


	11. Firmament C

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 3 Apr 2011  
Summary: 11 April 2000 edition.  
Rating: K+  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil  
Author Notes: _firmament_, noun;  
1. The region of the air; the sky; the heavens.  
2. The field or sphere of an interest or activity.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

There was no greater feeling than being among the clouds, feeling the movement of the air and seeing over such incredible distances. The ground looked totally different from so high up, and Cecil envied Kain, just a little, for his skills, that he could see such a view more often and without the aid of a vessel. It was amazing, being up here, and the young knight took it all in with acute wonder. Kain had known about all of this before he'd even become a dragoon; his father had a dragon, one that Kain had cared for once his father had passed on, and he'd ridden it to the farthest reaches of the kingdom. It was no surprise that he'd wanted to be a dragoon, to be able to experience this sensation more than a scant few times when a skyship was needed as transport. Had Cecil known, he'd probably have wanted to be a dragoon as well.


	12. Arcane C,K,R

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 3 Apr 2011  
Summary: 12 April 2000 edition.  
Rating: K+  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, Rosa  
Author Notes: _arcane_, adjective;  
1. Understood or known by only a few.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Kain and Cecil got into bizarre fights, as far as Rosa was concerned. Like their current argument, over the effective range of uses between a sword and a spear, and which one was better. Cecil, of course, had plenty of insight on the sword, but Kain did too, _and_ he knew a great deal about spears while Cecil knew very little by comparison. Because of that, Rosa wanted to be convinced that Kain would be more likely to be correct, but the dragoon was also heavily biased, as spearwork was a family tradition for him. However, both men were vehement in their views, and they'd actually gotten into physical scuffles over it. Nothing violent, but at the same time it wasn't completely playful. And no one else seemed to be able to tell the difference.


	13. Perfunctory K

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 3 Apr 2011  
Summary: 13 April 2000 edition.  
Rating: K  
Characters/Pairings: Kain  
Author Notes: _perfunctory_, adjective;  
1. Done merely to carry out a duty; performed mechanically or routinely.  
2. Lacking interest, care, or enthusiasm; indifferent.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

As a knight, Kain could appreciate the aches and pains of harsh, repetitive training. However, as a knight, Kain also knew that such repetitious training could end up being the only thing that allowed a man to react rapidly enough to keep from untimely death. Therefore, he suffered no fools among his ranks, and all of his men _would_ do all of their training every day no matter what. There was no place for sympathy on the battlefield.


	14. Temerity C,K

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 3 Apr 2011  
Summary: 14 April 2000 edition.  
Rating: K+  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain  
Author Notes: _temerity_, noun;  
1. Unreasonable or foolhardy contempt of danger; rashness.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

"What are you doing?"

Cecil didn't even get the chance to acknowledge the question before his entire world tilted and he barely had time to flail before he crashed into the hard stone floor behind him hard enough to knock the air from his lungs. Disoriented, he took a moment to even realize that there was a body on top of him, and then another moment to recognize his best friend. Flinching, the young prince raised his hand to cup the back of his head, gingerly feeling the area he had smacked against the stones.

"...Kain..?"

The dragoon-in-training was scowling fiercely, his stockier frame weighing down the smaller teen.

"Why were you up there?"

With a slow blink, the younger knight-in-training tilted his head toward the parapet wall he'd been standing on moments ago before turning his focus back on angry chocolate eyes.

"I... there was a breeze, and I was watching the birds."

The scowl remained steady, and the young prince could assume that Kain was the one who'd taken him from the wall, as there was no one else around.

"You don't have to be up there to do it."

Pale brows furrowed, and Cecil found himself more and more confused as the strained silence stretched. What was the problem?

"...You do that all the time."

Chocolate eyes flashed and Kain nearly snarled, startling the smaller teen still pinned beneath him. It didn't particularly worry Cecil or anything, because the blonde would never cause him serious harm on purpose, but it was unusual nowadays for the larger male to look as though he was about to lose his poise.

"I have the training; what happens to you should you fall?"

For a minute, Cecil floundered in complete confusion.

"I... wasn't...?"

Really, it shouldn't have been such a big thing; Kain wasn't making any sense. But the scowl only deepened in response to his words and the younger knight-in-training was taken by total surprise by his friend's next words.

"It's called an accident, Cecil. We're up high and you're a klutz-"

"I am not!"

"You _are_, and you need to stay behind barriers lest you tumble over the edge and end up landing on your head. Even _you_ wouldn't survive that."

The young prince felt his jaw work for a moment before he sputtered. He could tell that the older teen was making fun of him, and although he was pretty sure he knew that the blonde was insinuating that he had a thick head, he didn't really know what he might have missed. Regardless, Kain was still insulting him.

"H-hey! There is no need to be _rude_."

Really, Cecil couldn't understand the blonde sometimes.


	15. Superannuated C, KxC

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 31 Mar 2011  
Summary: 15 April 2000 edition.  
Rating: M  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain x Cecil  
Author Notes: _superannuated_, adjective;  
1. Discharged or disqualified on account of old age; retired from service, especially with a pension.  
2. Old; no longer in use; no longer valid; outmoded.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Sometimes Cecil had fleeting, troubled thoughts about what his life might have turned into had his liege not been the first to come across him. He'd been told often enough that he'd been quite beautiful his whole life, even as a baby, and, when he'd been nearing the end of his training as a knight, he'd had the unfortunate experience of being a soldier in a raid on an elaborate child slavery ring. It wasn't just girls that were used as sex slaves, he'd come to find. Any child considered beautiful enough was used for the pleasure of others. Some of the young boys had never worked a day of hard labor in their entire short lives in order that they stay delicate looking, more effeminate in appearance, and overall frail, for as long as possible. Cecil didn't know – didn't _want_ to know – what became of those boys once they matured to an age where they were no longer considered lovely enough. They'd not learned any skills to keep them abreast in life, and would be destitute without the aid of instruction in how to, at the very least, till a field and plant a crop.

Worse still, the knight had a subconscious realization that if he _had_ been picked up by someone of ill repute, and made to _work_ in such conditions, he wasn't entirely certain that he would have ever "aged out." Cecil didn't tend to acknowledge the differences between himself and others, but he knew when people watched him and he had a rough idea of where they usually looked. Of course, he only really knew the latter because Kain was true to his title and privileges as a highborn and the younger knight had more than once heard a possessive snarl issue from the blonde; even a blind man would've seen the dragoon's hostility and Cecil wouldn't be surprised if a blind man could see Kain's wandering hands, either. At least the blonde had the propriety to wait until they were in a secluded room to do more than touch a silk-covered knee; once they were alone, however, Kain had an obsessive need to handle the younger man's backside while murmuring that Cecil was _gorgeous_ and the dragoon was going to make him feel _amazing_. If he hadn't loved Kain as much as he did, Cecil would've hit him for such lewd remarks; as it was, at the end of a really good night, Cecil couldn't even really feel his lower half beyond a pleasure-tinged numbness after Kain was done.

Therein lied the problem, however. Cecil genuinely enjoyed the sex, but he only liked it because it was Kain doing it to him. The younger knight had never fantasized about another man, and never wanted to; he'd never even dreamed of another, but the thought of any man touching him was repulsive, and he'd slice off their hands before they could do anything. But Cecil had the training to do that, and the strength to throw off an attacker; if he had grown up a prostitute, he'd have none of these defenses. Even if it was just imaginary, the young knight felt his spine tremor at the thought of being utterly helpless.


	16. Egregious C,K,R, KxC

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 3 Apr 2011  
Summary: 16 April 2000 edition.  
Rating: M  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, Rosa, Kain x Cecil  
Author Notes: _egregious_, adjective;  
1. Conspicuously and outrageously bad or reprehensible.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Rosa knew that Cecil and Kain had rather lost their virginity with each other, in a manner of speaking. What she didn't know – what even years later still humiliated Kain and kept Cecil mum about the experience – was the little fact that their first time had been worse than terrible. The younger teen hadn't know what to expect beyond the vaguest sense of peg-in-hole and some fantasies, and the older teen had nothing more substantial either. Kain had wanted to be the peg, so to speak, and Cecil figured that his friend probably knew better and they could trade off afterward, so he didn't argue. But the blonde hadn't thought of oil, and he'd been lustful and impatient, and the young prince had been in pain the entire time; they'd only figured it out later, but Cecil had been bleeding and he spent the entire following day in bed, embarrassed and in agony. The entire ordeal was simply something never to be thought about again, and they obstinately put it behind them completely once the adopted prince was no longer flinching and limping constantly; had they seen a white mage, the issue might have been fixed sooner, but there was only so much contained shame that a man could take, and it was debatable which teen would have felt the humiliation more acutely.


	17. Tutelary K,R

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 3 Apr 2011  
Summary: 17 April 2000 edition.  
Rating: K+  
Characters/Pairings: Kain, Rosa  
Author Notes: _tutelary_, adjective;  
1. Having the guardianship or charge of protecting a person or a thing; guardian; protecting; as, "tutelary goddesses."  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Kain had always taken care of her. Always. From the time that they were both very little, with both parents still alive, the blonde boy had always looked out for her. Rosa adored him, and the fact that she would always be safe when he was around, because he was her best friend and she felt safe with him. There weren't many people she felt wholly safe with, and only one had stood by her through the totality of her life. So when Golbez had taken her, she had been worried, but she hadn't feared for her life. Whatever was happening with Kain, deep down he was still her best friend, and she knew he would continue to keep her safe in little ways while she waited to be rescued. She hadn't been wrong.


	18. Condign C,K,R, KxCxR

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 3 Apr 2011  
Summary: 18 April 2000 edition.  
Rating: M  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, Rosa, Kain x Cecil x Rosa  
Author Notes: _condign_, adjective;  
1. Suitable to the fault or crime; deserved; adequate.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

When Kain had thought to himself that he should be handed the proper punishment for his weaknesses and subsequent behaviors, he had been expecting lashings, public humiliation, or at the very least a drop in rank. What he'd gotten was a _raise_ in rank, and there had been no public mention of his transgressions whatsoever. He was officially acknowledged as Cecil's primary guard, and that was the end of the matter as far as the adopted royal was concerned. Kain hadn't let it rest, though, because he should have faced _something_; of course, again, that something should have been degrading or demeaning in some way, as a proper censure for his abysmal behavior.

The dragoon hadn't fully realized the extent of Cecil's peculiarity until he found himself "punished" with pleasuring the young royal couple. The blonde was a little surprised with himself, even, that he liked being between Cecil and Rosa during such times perhaps just as much as he liked being on top of them both. But, of course, his enjoyment made the older knight feel as though he was betraying the concept of being punished, and he resolved to make it up to his younger companions. Kain didn't realize until many months after he'd started, but Cecil's "punishment" was rather brilliant. In order that he might properly fulfill his punishment, the dragoon had taken to laying with his king and queen at least once a day. Before he'd realized it, Kain knew the meaning behind each and every little twitch and sigh coming from either the paladin or the white mage, and he could melt them both into wanton puddles of lust without difficulty. Often, he drove himself to fatigue in his quest to satisfy his conscience that he was not ignoring his task, and he'd more than once blacked out in exhaustion with either his king or his queen or both of them deeply ensconced in the throws of ecstasy.

In the end, his "punishment" amounted to an exercise in trust: his king and queen trusted him with every intimate aspect of themselves and their lives, and Kain had been doing the same in turn without noticing. He could sleep better when he was with them, he could fall into a coma-like unconsciousness if he really needed it, and he didn't worry about anything lashing out at him. Likewise, his liege could do the same, and often did. Unfortunately, Kain was well aware of the fact that he never would have felt this kind of trust without going through his not-really-a-punishment.


	19. Lambent C,K, KxCxR

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 3 Apr 2011  
Summary: 19 April 2000 edition.  
Rating: M  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, Rosa, Kain x Cecil x Rosa  
Author Notes: _lambent_, adjective;  
1. Playing lightly on or over a surface; flickering; as, "a lambent flame; lambent shadows."  
2. Softly bright or radiant; luminous; as, "a lambent light."  
3. Light and brilliant; as, "a lambent style; lambent wit."  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Kain smiled to himself as he looked down at the paladin sound asleep on the grassy embankment. Cecil was high energy, but the children had more, and he'd clearly been totally worn out. The only reason his fair face and hands weren't badly burned was because he was curled up on the ground under an old, leafy tree. There was a breeze, causing the sunlight to flicker down through the layers of green, speckling the young king with ever-shifting light. It was summer, but the weather wasn't stifling; Cecil had deliberately freed his schedule to spend the day with the children, and his clothing had a few mud and grass stains to prove it. Ceodore and Richard were, at a glance, hunting crayfish in the nearby creak, oblivious to the paladin's state of unconsciousness. It was getting later in the day, however, and Rosa wanted them in to clean up before supper. Kain wasn't officially on duty at the moment, so he was currently outside of his armor. He called both boys to finish up, making certain that they both acknowledged his command, and then dropped to his knee to collect his king. Cecil didn't even stir as the blonde picked him up bridal style, and stayed asleep even as both boys scurried up the embankment to fetch their stockings and boots. Although he would surely get into trouble for it, the dragoon gave them both permission to hold those articles and just walk through the grass barefoot. Rosa couldn't be too mad, though, because he was saving her the trouble of whatever damage they otherwise would've done to the stockings and shoes.


	20. Confabulation C,K,R

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 10 Apr 2011  
Summary: 20 April 2000 edition.  
Rating: K+  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, Rosa  
Author Notes: _confabulation_, noun;  
1. Familiar talk; easy, unrestrained, unceremonious conversation.  
2. (Psychology) A plausible but imagined memory that fills in gaps in what is remembered.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

The young dragoon-to-be rolled his eyes as Cecil replied to one of Rosa's comments with something that sounded so utterly womanly that no man in his right mind should have ever even _thought_ it, yet it was the kind of comment that the younger boy made so readily that Kain might have – just might have – begun rolling his eyes even before the bow of vivid blue lips had parted to utter the first sound. Neither of his younger companions was looking at him when he'd done it, but nevertheless the bloodless prince turned around and swatted his shoulder while giving the older boy a look that clearly stated he knew what Kain had done. Which was creepy, because the blonde's mother was the only other person who could ever do that – Rosa never caught him, or at least never acknowledged that he'd done anything. He'd asked his mother once, after she'd smacked him for something, how she'd known, and he'd never forgotten what she'd told him: "A good woman knows these things." Did that make Cecil a better "woman" than Rosa, Kain didn't know, but he'd always been a bit fearful of finding out.


	21. Expiate R

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 10 Apr 2011  
Summary: 21 April 2000 edition.  
Rating: K+  
Characters/Pairings: Rosa  
Author Notes: _expiate_, transitive verb;  
1. To make amends for; to atone for.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Rosa wouldn't apologize for what she'd done. They both deserved it, for being stupid if nothing more. In Cecil's case, it was more obliviousness than abject stupidity, but Kain was being an _idiot_. Both knights knew she was angry – if they didn't know, then she'd honestly be more surprised than anything else – but they clearly didn't know _why_, and that's why they were both stupid. A part of her didn't even want to tell them the problem, would prefer to let them stew over it, but the white mage knew deep down that neither of her boys were malicious and they'd never figure anything out if she didn't tell them. She'd explain it, fine, but she wasn't going to apologize for her own responding actions now or possibly ever, but especially not until they showed some kind of remorse.


	22. Somniferous C,K

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 10 Apr 2011  
Summary: 22 April 2000 edition.  
Rating: T  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain  
Author Notes: _somniferous_, adjective;  
1. Causing or inducing sleep.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Sometimes, Kain really hated that the bloodless prince had followed King Odin's desires to the letter. It was fine that Cecil wanted to keep from being a burden, and the dragoon had no problem with how his friend wished to prove himself worthy of all that he had. Kain simply didn't think that the young prince should be a dark knight. A dragoon, maybe, if knighthood was the requirement. It wasn't that Cecil was a bad dark knight, or anything, either; to the contrary, Cecil was _extremely good_ at what he did. Therein lied the blonde's problem: Cecil was _too good_ at his skills, while being highly dedicated to keeping his men intact, and Kain hated how often he felt like he was turning into Rosa when the knights were separated and the next Kain encountered his friend found Cecil weak from self-inflicted injuries. It was especially traumatizing when there were no healers around and potions were in limited supply or totally depleted. It was the worst when Cecil had been carried from the field by his own men and had fallen unconscious on the way because the bloodless prince never looked more vulnerable than he did when he'd lost enough blood to actually look paler than his normal fair complexion.

If they'd been in Baron, Kain knew he'd at least have Rosa to keep him company as he hovered over the prince's recovery bed, but out in the field he was afforded no such distractions, and he couldn't allow himself to even nod off until Cecil woke up for the first time. This would never happen if Cecil would have just followed a different path.


	23. Aubade C,K, KxC

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 10 Apr 2011  
Summary: 23 April 2000 edition.  
Rating: T  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, Kain x Cecil  
Author Notes: _aubade_, noun;  
1. A song or poem greeting the dawn; also, a composition suggestive of morning.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Kain smiled to himself as he hummed quietly so as not to disturb any of the other soldiers that might be within hearing range. Tents did not exactly afford much sound dampening, and he wasn't even in his own. Of course, he also hadn't bothered to set up his own, since he always ended up bunking with the bloodless prince when they went out on missions together. Cecil never woke up easily in the mornings, but he tended to pick up the slack later in the evenings when Kain was no longer at his best, so it was a fine arrangement. But the dark knight needed to at least start the process of waking up now, or he'd never be coherent later on.

Rousing Cecil in the mornings was a bit of a task, because physical assault accomplished nothing more than bruising the young prince. Loud noises didn't tend to startle him either; be it the clashing of swords or the warbles of antsy chocobos, the dark knight could sleep through anything. Almost. There was, to date, only one thing that seemed to rouse the younger knight, and only a grand total of three people knew about it. When he'd been younger, the dragoon used to poke fun at his friend for such a thing – one of a variety of reasons why his own personal pet name for the adopted prince was, in fact, "princess" – although with age came maturity and Kain couldn't find crude amusement in what he knew anymore. He rather enjoyed this secret knowledge, even, because it was so ridiculously fairytale-esque that no one would even believe it anyway.

Leaning over the soundly sleeping smaller man, the dragoon pressed their lips together and waited until he felt return pressure before retreating. Sleepy emerald eyes fluttered open and Kain grinned as Cecil murmured something incoherent and smiled drowsily at him. Awakened by a kiss; honestly, Kain wouldn't have believed it if he didn't already know it to be true.


	24. Cogitate C

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 10 Apr 2011  
Summary: 24 April 2000 edition.  
Rating: K+  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil  
Author Notes: _cogitate_, intransitive verb;  
1. To think deeply or intently; to ponder; to meditate.  
2. To think about; to ponder on; to meditate upon; to plan or plot.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

He'd not had time to really consider his place in life in the past few months, what with suddenly becoming thrust into the thick of a war, but everything was settled now and peace was returning, and Cecil had some time on his hands to contemplate his world. Honestly, although there were a great deal of painful truths that came about, such as the deaths of King Odin and Baigan, and the near annihilation of the royal line with many of the illegitimate princes falling during the course of the unexpected struggle, there were still many things to be happy about. The world was still theirs, for instance. None of the kingdoms had been toppled totally. Baron was still mostly whole, if a bit confused. The people most important to Cecil were still alive. There were other things, of course, both major and minor, but it was enough to realize that much. Cecil was still active as ever, Rosa was no worse for the wear, and Kain was dedicated to his position in the royal guard. It was still being bandied about, because there _were_ still living blood princes, but most were leaning toward crowning Cecil, and the paladin would do his best if the honor fell to him. In the meantime, he was happy, knowing that the world had grown just a little bit safer and he had played a part in that.


	25. Persiflage C,K, KxC

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 18 Apr 2011  
Summary: 25 April 2000 edition.  
Rating: K+  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, Kain x Cecil  
Author Notes: _persiflage_, noun;  
1. Frivolous or bantering talk; a frivolous manner of treating any subject, whether serious or otherwise; light raillery.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

"Don't worry about it."

"Don't-? Are you out of your mind, Kain! Be serious!"

"It's not a problem."

"It _is_."

"..."

"...Why won't you give me a straight answer?"

"I hardly know what you mean."

"...Kain, what is troubling you?"

"Nothing."

"Please, Kain, I don't want any bad blood between us."

"There is nothing wrong, Cecil."

"Then why won't you treat this subject seriously?"

"You want serious? It's simple: you're a prince, and you must marry and provide heirs. I am required to do the same for my own clan. We are at a distinct disadvantage, and there is no way to avoid it."

"...But... Kain..."

"Don't misunderstand, Cecil. You are _mine_, and that won't be changing. Yet we are still bound to extending our respective lineage, and by definition that means we cannot be faithful solely to one another. I intend to do what I must, but you will always be the most important."


	26. Obfuscate C,K,R, KxCxR

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 10 Apr 2011  
Summary: 26 April 2000 edition.  
Rating: T  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, Rosa, Rydia, Kain x Cecil x Rosa  
Author Notes: _obfuscate_, transitive verb;  
1. To darken or render indistinct or dim.  
2. To make obscure or difficult to understand or make sense of.  
3. To confuse or bewilder.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Rydia didn't often take the journey to visit any of the friends she had made during the greatest struggle of her life, but she had looked forward to the visit to Baron because she really did like Cecil and Rosa a lot. She knew she would see Kain, too, but she was ambivalent about him because she'd never had terrific interactions with him but whenever Cecil had talked about him during their journey there had always been an underlying quality to his voice that spoke of warmth and contentment, and the paladin had grown with the other man so he'd have a better idea about what the dragoon was really like. She'd been greeted as she'd expected to be, and Rosa had embraced her and chatted with her amicably while Cecil was busy with a distraction in the form of a complaining noble. After the paladin king had finished, he gave her equal attention, smiling and carrying on conversation easily. Rydia almost completely forgot about Kain until she was startled from the talk by a shout and two young boys barreling into the room followed at a sedate pace by the dragoon. That was when the summoner had been introduced to the royal heirs, Ceodore and Richard.

It was painfully obvious that the second born son of Baron's royal house was not the king's by blood. A blonde child did not necessarily mean improper lineage, since Ceodore was a lot blonder than Cecil but still retained a lot of his father's fairer coloring. The proof was only mildly obvious at first glance, what with the child having brown eyes unlike those of either the mother or the father; it was as she looked again at his features that Rydia startled upon her realization. Richard looked and acted like a miniature Kain and, to make matters even more obvious as her visit wore on, the head of the dragoons chastised him for any poor behavior like he had the right to do so, like a man would chastise his own flesh and blood. There was no possible way to hide the fact that the royal couple's primary guard had lain with the king's wife, and yet no one seemed to notice. Rydia wanted to be upset with the dragoon, because Cecil had trusted him and clearly that trust had been misused, but she couldn't do it. Honestly, she didn't know what to think; if Rosa had been assaulted, Cecil wouldn't have let that go and Kain wouldn't be allowed to be so close to either of them, so the white mage must have been willing. That was just cruel, though, because the paladin was so inherently gentle it was still a wonder to the summoner that he'd ever managed to become a dark knight before.

As much as she wanted to believe that everything was in the open and that Cecil wasn't being willfully blind, his unwavering trust in his comrades had been apparent even back before she'd grown, when he'd told her that warriors only showed their backs to allies and had promptly allowed the dragoon to stay at his unprotected back. And that had resulted in more than one betrayal. If she thought about it, Rydia knew that _she_ wouldn't want to be settled into a false happiness, so she brought it up in private, and it was perhaps a touch funny that she'd had to get frightfully blunt before Cecil had realized what she was talking about. Then the paladin had looked surprised before his expression turned to one of discomfort as he tentatively explained to her that her question was just not asked in polite society, but he'd answered her anyway, in a way. The relationship between the paladin, white mage, and dragoon was "complicated," but Cecil was entirely aware of the fact that his second son was perhaps not his own by blood and he was fine with that. Rydia might be an adult now, but it was still confusing to her, when all was said and done.


	27. Calumny C, KxCxR

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 10 Apr 2011  
Summary: 27 April 2000 edition.  
Rating: M  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain x Cecil x Rosa  
Author Notes: _calumny_, noun;  
1. False accusation of a crime or offense, intended to injure another's reputation.  
2. Malicious misrepresentation; slander.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Cecil hated it when Kain and Rosa "compared notes," as it were, about him. It was bad enough to realize that they even thought such terrible thoughts, but voicing them was inexcusable. He did not "mewl like a newborn kitten" when making love to them and he wasn't "wanton as a bourgeois whore" during the same, either. That was horribly offensive, and those weren't even the worst observations. If he didn't love them as much as he did, and if he didn't know that they were cautious to only take their awful conversations into private areas, Cecil would have been more than a little mortified of what gossip would spread.


	28. Ablution C,K

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 10 Apr 2011  
Summary: 28 April 2000 edition.  
Rating: K+  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain  
Author Notes: _ablution_, noun;  
1. The act of washing or cleansing; specifically, the washing of the body, or some part of it (as in a religious rite).  
2. The water used in cleansing.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

It had been a huge struggle for Kain to overcome himself, to shed his weakness and free himself. It had taken years, in fact, but he'd done it, and he'd done it all himself, and he was proud of that fact. He imagined that it probably would've taken less time for Cecil, had he not been forcibly wrenched into the light. The dragoon had heard of that experience from the young paladin, and he knew that the adopted royal of Baron had felt a kind of unbearable emptiness as his soul was purged unnaturally. Cecil wasn't particularly gifted with expressing himself when it came to his emotions, but it was obvious that the entire ordeal had been wholly unsettling to him and, although he'd only done what he'd had to do at the time, he would've preferred to take a more natural route to absolution. Still, Cecil had always been a purer soul than most, although he had suppressed himself for the sake of King Odin's desire for his future. The tinge of his impurity was hardly as strong as the vile aspects of most men. All in all, Kain was proud of his accomplishment, and wished to return to Baron as soon as possible now that he would no longer be a stain on the lives of those most important to him.

Once he'd reached the castle, the dragoon was swept into the warmth of his king and queen, and he felt a tendril of relief, that he still held some place in their hearts even after so long. After the relief had worn away, and Cecil had guided Kain to the baths and taken care to give him the best soaps and oils to use, and the paladin had even stayed to help bathe the older man as they had always done in their youth, the dragoon felt, deep down, that this was the final step to his struggle. He'd never felt cleaner than he did the moment he'd finished this particular bath, knowing that he was freed from his own evils.


	29. Undulate K, KxCxR

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 10 Apr 2011  
Summary: 29 April 2000 edition.  
Rating: M  
Characters/Pairings: Kain, Kain x Cecil x Rosa  
Author Notes: _undulate_, intransitive verb;  
1. To move in, or have, waves; to vibrate; to wave; as, undulating air.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Kain was intensely fond of bedding his king and queen, at the same time and separately. They were both beautiful and sweet, and the dragoon had a special fondness for lying on his back just to see them move above him. Cecil hated any reference to his androgynous nature, but the blonde knight couldn't help but notice how both the king and the queen moved in the _exact same ways_ on his lap, down to the same subtle grind against his pelvis. They were gorgeous like that, writhing against him in ecstasy, rhythmically meeting their hips to his and retreating just to do it again. There was nothing frenzied about their actions, nothing hurried or rushed no matter how badly they had been wanting before they started, and the dragoon was convinced that the wait made the bliss just that much stronger.


	30. Cosset C,K

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 10 Apr 2011  
Summary: 30 April 2000 edition.  
Rating: K+  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain  
Author Notes: _cosset_, transitive verb;  
1. To treat as a pet; to treat with excessive indulgence; to pamper.  
noun;  
1. A pet, especially a pet lamb.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Kain was such a complete baby when he was sick, Cecil had been utterly astonished the first time he'd seen the older boy ill. The blonde acted as though he was dying from just a simple cold, and it was pitiful enough that the young prince felt so bad for him that he took care of the older boy himself. At first he'd been too young to do much, but he'd learned as he'd grown, and now it had just become a custom for Kain to seek him out when he wasn't feeling well. The dragoon hardly ever felt ill, and it wasn't as if the younger man really minded it. Cecil wasn't as delicate about his care as Rosa might be, but he went out of his way to make Kain as comfortable as possible until that big baby got over his ailment and was back to his old self. He must have been doing something right for the older man to _expect_ it now.

Cecil figured out once he had an _actual_ baby to take care of that the practice he'd been getting his whole life was actually immensely helpful.


End file.
